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 |  | Patching Concrete: $3-$200+ |  | Concrete Foundation Repair: $1,000-$30,000+ |
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Concrete can be chipped or cracked by a number of causes, ranging from the movement of the ground underneath to a lack of expansion joints in the concrete (causing hairline cracks as the concrete shrinks when it dries). If the cracks go all the way through the concrete and are caused by a poor underlying sub-base, freezing or other ongoing issues, it may be necessary to remove the concrete to fix the problem. If the cracks, chips or other imperfections are all surface issues, the concrete can be repaired with patching materials available from most home improvement and hardware stores.
Typical costs: | - Patching a concrete driveway, patio, walkway or basement/garage floor can be a fairly straightforward do-it-yourself project. Patching compounds can cost $3-$10 for a small tube, tub or pail; or $5-$30 for a larger bucket or bag, depending on the quantity and type of materials. For example, a one-quart pail of Quikrete Concrete Patching Compound[1] costs $7.50-$9. Hiring a handyman or other laborer to patch a few small cracks in a concrete driveway or patio can cost $25-$200 or more for labor and materials, depending on products used, the time it takes and local rates.
- A two- or three-part epoxy patching compound that gets mixed together then quickly spread with a trowel or squeegee can cost $50-$150 or more depending on quantity and brand. For example, a 3.5-gallon plastic pail of Rust-Oleum 5494 System Turbokrete Concrete Patching Kit[2] costs $90-$120, and is applied like epoxy flooring. Professional application of epoxy flooring over patched and level concrete costs about $3-$12 a square foot, or $750-$3,000 for a one-car garage) and $1,200-$6,000 for a two-car garage. For details, see How Much Does Epoxy Flooring Cost.
- Patching typically leaves a smooth but unsightly concrete surface that can then be resurfaced with a thin (1/16" to an inch or more) overlay of cement or a modified polymer resin blended with cement, sand and other additives. DIY resurfacing materials can cost $2-$5 or more a square foot; ThisOldHouse.com estimates it took two people five hours and six bags ($150-$180) of material to resurface about 300 square feet of driveway and walkway. Professional resurfacing can cost $3-$10 a square foot depending on the condition of the existing concrete, the resurfacing system used and local rates; Resurfacing an average 500-square-foot concrete driveway (including repairing all cracks or other imperfections) typically costs $2,000-$5,000. For more details, see How Much Does Concrete Resurfacing Cost.
- Cracks in the concrete foundation are a structural problem. Most repairs require some form of underpinning -- installing concrete or steel piers to support the foundation on deeper, more stable soil. Installing piers can cost $1,000-$3,000 each, or $3,500-$6,000 or more to underpin one corner and $8,000-$30,000 for all needed repairs on a house with moderate foundation damage. To evaluate the problem, an inspection and report by structural engineer can cost $300-$800 and a soil report by a geotechnical engineer can cost $500-$2,500. For more details, see How Much Does Foundation Repair Cost.
Related articles: Epoxy Flooring, Foundation Repair, Concrete Resurfacing, Driveway Repair, Driveway
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What should be included: | - Concrete is made with four basic ingredients: Portland cement, water, sand and gravel or crushed rock. ConcreteNetwork.com defines concrete and cement[3] .
- Concrete patches can last 20-30 years, according to AskTheBuilder.com[4] Repairs should be done in relatively cool weather, when the temperature is about 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit.
- All loose concrete and debris should be removed; when patching a crack, chisel it out to create a backward-angle cut. Many patching systems use a thin layer of bonding adhesive or cement (at a paint-like consistency) before the patching compound is applied with a trowel or squeegee. Some self-leveling patching compounds can be squirted directly into small cracks. A video by ExtremeHowTo.com demonstrates the basics of patching and repairing concrete[5] .
- ThisOldHouse.com explains how to patch a concrete floor[6] , fix chipped concrete steps[7] and repair cracks in concrete walls[8] . ConcreteNetwork.com provides information for repairing a variety of problems with concrete countertops[9] .
Shopping for concrete repair: | - Concrete patching materials are available at home improvement centers like Home Depot[10] or Lowe's[11] ; hardware stores like Ace Hardware[12] ; and online retailers like Amazon[13] .
- For small repair jobs, get recommendations for a handyman or other laborer familiar with concrete repair. For large projects, search for local contractors through ConcreteNetwork.com[14] .
- Request and call references from previous customers; check that the company is properly insured, bonded and licensed[15] . Check for complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau[16] .
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
| Posted by: Heather Washington in Detroit, MI. | Posted: December 9th, 2015 08:12PM |
| Type of Damage: cracks, holes & sinking | Repair Needed: new concrete porch & foundation repair |
cracks & holes in center block around porch have top slab sinking..also water run in basement from area under porch. The size is approx 5'×14.5'with 3 concrete steps. I'd like a ball park figure for what repairs of this nature would cost please. The leak at the crease of the basement ceiling beneathe the porch is not extreme |
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External Resources: | - www.quikrete.com/productlines/ConcretePatchingCompound.asp
- www.rustoleum.com/tds/5494%20System_CS-17_2131990.pdf
- www.concretenetwork.com/concrete.html
- www.askthebuilder.com/long-lasting-concrete-repair/
- www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZeMEeFfxzo&feature=related
- www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/skill-builder/0,,20174623,00.html
- www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/skill-builder/0,,466378,00.html
- www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20355507,00.html
- www.concretenetwork.com/fix-concrete-countertops/
- www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?keyword=concrete+patch&langId=-1&sto...
- www.lowes.com/SearchCatalogDisplay?Ntt=concrete+patch&langId=-1&storeId=10151&catalogId...
- www.acehardware.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=concrete%20patch&origkw=concrete%20pat...
- www.amazon.com/s/nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=concrete+patch&x=0&y=0
- www.concretenetwork.com/contractors/GarageFloorCoatings-/
- www.contractors-license.org/
- www.bbb.org/en/us/search
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